China shopping festival smashes record at halfway mark

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Alibaba , the Chinese e-commerce giant, said its Singles' Day sales surged past last year's total just after midday Saturday, hitting a record $18 billion, pointing to a likely giant haul for the world's biggest shopping event.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Alibaba , the Chinese e-commerce giant, said its Singles' Day sales surged past last year's total just after midday Saturday, hitting a record $18 billion, pointing to a likely giant haul for the world's biggest shopping event.